On November 29-30, we co-organised an expert workshop on Democratic Economic Planning in Times of Planetary Crises in Vienna, bringing together researchers from diverse disciplines, including political economy, ecological economics, and economic sociology. Over two days, we engaged in intensive discussions on the role of democratic planning in socio-ecological transformation, investment strategies, and technological change.

A highlight of the workshop were the three public events, which sparked significant interest both in person and online. The keynote speeches by Cédric Durand (University of Geneva) on Ecological Planning and the Problem of Knowledge in the Anthropocene and Karl Polanyi visiting professor Attila Melegh (University of Budapest) on Non-Capitalist Mixed Economies: A Polanyian Approach drew large audiences and generated lively discussions. 

The closing panel discussion, featuring Cédric Durand, Aaron Benanav, Cecilia Rikap, Christoph Sorg, and moderated by Jens Schröter, provided a thought-provoking synthesis of the debates, addressing the challenges of planning social metabolism and technological change.

The workshop included four thematic sessions (view program here) and fostered valuable exchanges between researchers, students, and representatives from civil society and public institutions. A key outcome is the planned publication of an edited volume based on the workshop contributions.

A big thank you to all participants and our cooperation partners, the Arbeiterkammer Wien, the ISSET Institute at Vienna University of Economics and Business, the Forum Alltagsökonomie and the European Association for Evolutionary Political Economy (EAEPE) for making this workshop a success!

We are pleased to announce that the recordings of the three public events are now available online. You can watch them below: